Cheyenne is a 37-year-old Sumatran Orangutan that loves popsicles and painting.
Imagine every day a little piece of your home was taken away. A giant bulldozer comes in and plows through your living room one day, your bedroom the next and before you know it all you’re left with is a barren and empty space.
This is how it is for the orangutans in Borneo. Orangutans have fallen victim to the palm oil industry which has converted much of their natural habitat to oil palm plantations. Their natural habitats have become very favorable for the industry because of their fertile soil that is usually located near rivers. It is estimated that over 25, 000 square kilometers of orangutans’ natural habitat has been taken over by the palm oil industry. Palm oil is used in many of today’s every day items such as cooking oil, bath soap and lotions, cosmetics, as well as foods like cookies and crackers.
It came as a complete shock to me when I started volunteering at the Zoo that this was such a major situation that needs more attention and call to action. To help raise awareness and promote conservation efforts, the Houston Zoo has teamed up with various organizations which include the French non-governmental organization Hutan, the Sabah Wildlife Department, and several other zoological parks here in the United States , all of which support conservation programs in and around the 27,000-hectare Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. And personally, I have now made it a habit to be sure to check the labels of products to see if they contain palm oil before I purchase them.
Indah, a 5-year-old Sumatran Orangutan here at the Houston Zoo.
What can you do to help? You can start by avoiding purchasing products that contain palm oil. When you’re at the store, check the labels of your favorite foods and body products to make sure that it is palm oil free. You can also spread the word to your friends and family and make them aware of this because the more people that know, the more orangutans we can save. Another thing you can do is join an organization that helps to support the conservation of orangutans and their natural habitats. Together, we can help save the last great ape of Asia.
